RICHMOND, Va. (September 9, 2015) – Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed heads to the site of his first ever NASCAR XFINITY Series start this weekend at Richmond International Raceway (RIR). With five starts under his belt at the track, Reed says it feels like home racing at Richmond.
“Richmond is such a special place for me because it’s where Jack (Roush) took a chance on a 19-year-old kid with a dream to drive his race car,” said Reed. “While it’s not my ‘home track,’ I definitely feel most comfortable here out of anywhere that we race. I’m grateful to Jack for taking that chance on me and would love to bring home a win for him and everyone that has supported me along the way at Richmond this weekend.”
Reed will make his sixth start on Friday night ‘under the lights’ at the .75-mile short track, recording his most starts out of any track on the NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule. In five previous starts at RIR, Reed has accumulated one top-10 and one top-15 finish, accruing a driver rating of 78.0 at the track.
Reed isn’t the only one on the No. 16 team that has a special tie to RIR. Two members of Reed’s team grew up attending races at RIR.
Joey Cohen, lead engineer for the No. 16 team, hails from Chesapeake, Va. Cohen moved to North Carolina to pursue a mechanical engineering degree from UNC Charlotte. After graduating in 2006, he spent five years at Roush Fenway Racing before moving to a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. He returned to RFR in 2015 as a lead engineer in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.
Justin Rolfe, front-tire changer for the No. 16 team, is from nearby Powhatan, Va. After high school, Rolfe attended college at Radford University. He graduated with a degree in Business Management and obtained his real estate license before moving to North Carolina in 2011 to work on a NASCAR pit crew.
Before Reed and his team take to the track at RIR, Reed will visit children with diabetes and other endocrinological disorders at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, just twenty minutes from the track.
Reed will hit the track for two practice sessions on Thursday, September 10, starting at 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. on NBC Sports Network.
Qualifying for Friday’s Virginia529 College Savings 250 will air on NBC Sports Network on Friday, September 11 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
The Virginia529 College Savings 250 will air on NBC Sports Network on Friday, September 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Roush Fenway Racing is the winningest team in NASCAR history, fielding multiple teams in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series competition with drivers Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Trevor Bayne, Elliott Sadler, Ryan Reed, Chris Buescher and Bubba Wallace. Now in its 28th season, Roush Fenway is a leader in driver development, having launched the careers for many of the top drivers in the sport. Off-track, Roush Fenway is a leader in NASCAR marketing solutions, pioneering motorsport’s first team-focused TV show and producing multiple award-winning digital and experiential marketing campaigns. Roush Fenway is co-owned by Jack Roush, the winningest team owner in NASCAR history and Fenway Sports Group, parent company of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C. Visit RoushFenway.com, circle on Google+, become a fan on Facebook and Instagram and follow on Twitter at @roushfenway.
About The American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. For the past 75 years, our mission has been to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.
About Lilly Diabetes
Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world’s first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research and collaboration, a broad and growing product portfolio and a continued determination to provide real solutions—from medicines to support programs and more—we strive to make life better for all those affected by diabetes around the world. For more information, visit www.lillydiabetes.com or follow us on Twitter: @LillyDiabetes.
